Practice Areas

Divorce is, for many, a grieving process. It evokes feelings of loss, betrayal, anger, fear, sadness, and resentment. Transitioning through these emotions, through the shock of a dissolving marriage, the denial of the end of what one thought would be a lifelong relationship, and the anger that tends to accompany the break-up of a family unit, can be overwhelming. It is during this trying time that emotion tends to cloud good judgment, at a time when exercising good judgment is critical. That is why it is so important to have caring, competent representation, family attorneys who are committed to you and to what is important to you – your children and your future. Rachel Elovitz and Gillian O’Nan have 27 years of legal experience between them. They understand the divorce process, are dedicated advocates, and appreciate the importance of educating their clients about their legal rights and obligations. They believe in collaborative dealing and the ADR process, but when necessary, they are fierce litigators for their clients.

Separate maintenance is a domestic relations action in Georgia that may be filed by either spouse. An action for separate maintenance is similar to a divorce action in that it results in the resolution of all the issues that would be settled in the event of divorce. However, separate maintenance is different from divorce in that, although the parties will be separated, the marriage is not completely dissolved. Should you wish to obtain more information about this process, contact Elovitz / O’Nan.

The most precious assets in any divorce case are the children. Unfortunately children are often caught in the middle of the battle between divorcing parents. Children become the “prize” or the “pawn” in the tactical fight of divorce. The damage caused by custody litigation can have a long term affect on relationships between the parents or a parent and their child. The negative effect of combative parents often times will continue to be felt into the adulthood of the child.

Contact Elovitz / O’Nan for an attorney who will help you stay focused on what really matters most — your children.

As with most states, Georgia’s child support guidelines are based on a fairly rigid formula that takes into account a number of different factors in determining the financial obligations of the non-custodial parent. These will include the income of each party, the number of children in the family, whether the paying party is required to support other children from a prior marriage, whether there are special needs that require financial support beyond guidelines or support beyond graduation from high school, etc. To learn more about child support, contact Elovitz / O’Nan.

Regardless of how a divorce is ultimately settled, children’s needs and parents’ circumstances often change over time. The legal standard for determining child related issues is simply “the best interest of the children.” The court determines best interests on a case by case basis. The best interests of children at the time of divorce may not necessarily remain best for the children years after the divorce. What happens if a parent remarries and the new spouse obtains a job out of state? Parents that divorce when their children are infants will likely face different issues when their children are teenagers.

In a modification case, the court will have to determine if a change in circumstance of either the parents or the children is significant enough to warrant a change of the parenting plan in the prior Order. Often times the attorney handling a modification action will not be the attorney representing a client in a modification action. Our firm can assist you with modifying your prior order whether you are a prior client, or a new client that utilized a different attorney for your original child custody lawsuit.

Modifying a Visitation Schedule

Life after divorce can bring many changes. Parents may move, switch jobs, remarry, or have any number of other things develop that require them to seek modifications to a child visitation schedule. In addition to changes affecting the parents, children reach developmental milestones that often require modification of an existing parenting plan. Often times, determining an appropriate child access schedule or modification of an existing visitation schedule requires utilizing psychological experts.

Elovitz / O’Nan has worked with a variety of psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed family therapists, and counselors to help facilitate age and developmentally appropriate parenting plans and custody/visitation schedules for parents and children. We provide assistance to clients seeking modification of prior orders whenever a substantial change in life circumstances occurs.

When one side does not adhere to the terms of the agreement, it is sometimes necessary to pursue a contempt action to force your former spouse into compliance. In the event your spouse fails to comply with the terms of your agreement or the terms of a court order, contact Elovitz / O’Nan to assist you.

Family violence is a serious and potentially life-threatening circumstance that often requires immediate legal action be taken to protect individuals, children and their extended family members. Whether you have been the victim or family violence or have been accused of family violence, Elovitz / O’Nan is prepared to assist you throughout this challenging and emotionally exhausting process.

Welcoming a new member into the family via adoption is an exciting time for families. However, the adoption process can be challenging and confusing. Elovitz / O’Nan can help you and your family members with the legal adoptions of both children and adults. If you believe you are a candidate to adopt a child or adult, we can help to make that a reality. We can provide you information to determine if you meet the Georgia requirements for an adoption and how to proceed.

Whether you are a father who is being denied the right to see your child or a single mother who is struggling to raise a child with little or no support from the child’s biological father, a paternity action may be needed to rectify either of these situations. Elovitz / O’Nan, P.C. can help you establish your legal rights in either of these situations.

These agreements are drafted before and after marriage to answer questions such as how property and assets may be divided if a divorce occurs. The hope is that the premarital or a postmarital agreement serves to answer any questions that may arise. Our firm drafts these agreements and also can look at an existing prenuptial or postnuptial agreement to see if it is valid in Georgia, another State, or in another Country.

If you die without a will, trust or other estate plan, your family will not know your final wishes. Your estate will be divided and distributed according to Georgia law. If your death leaves minor children without parents, the court will decide who becomes their guardian. In addition, your assets will be subject to probate and estate taxes.

Planning ahead is much better for you and your family. Contact Elovitz / O’Nan to assist you in protecting your family’s future.